Process of waterproofing fabrics.



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UNITED STATES Grass ieferente PAT NT OFFICE.

JAMES MESZIES, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

PROCESS OF WATERPROOFING FABRICS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 690,868, dated January '7, 1902. Application filed July 8,1901. Serial No. 87.542. \N'J specimensd T0 aZZ whom it may 150/1 v/n:

Be it known that I, JAMES MExzIEs, a subject of the King of England, and a resident of London, England, have invented a certain new and useful Improved Process for \Vaterproofing Fabrics, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to a process for rendering cloth, canvas, paper, and other fabrics waterproof, the object being to produce a material which will be thoroughly proof against the action of water, but which will at the same time allow air to pass with comparative freedom through it.

In carrying out this invention the fabric to be treated is passed through two solutions, the cloth being in contact with the solutions for a sufiicieut time to allow ofa thorough impregnation. To prepare the first solution, certain are saponified with caustic potash and water in any steam-jacketed boiler or soap-pan. The mixture is then boiled, say, for an hour, sodium silicate and narafiin-wax being added in convenient quantities and the boiling being further continued, say, for another hour. The following proportions of the different substances have been found to give the most advantageous results: stearic acid, thirteen parts; oleic acid, six parts; araifinwax eighteen parts; caustic otash, fihoparts; so ium silicate, two parts; water, four hundred parts. be second or fixative solution consists, preferab y, o a c earso ution of tate of a and is prepared by dissolving sulfate of aluminain boiling water and adding thereto an aqueous solution of acetate of lead. Conveniently forty-seven pounds of sulfate of alumina are dissolved in fifteen gallons of boilin water in one vessel and thirty-two 40 pounds of lead acetate are dissolved in fifteen gallons of water in another. When dissolved, the solutions are thoroughly well mixed, the insoluble precipitate of lead sulfate is allowed to settle, and the clear solution of acetate of alumina is decanted off.

The complete operation of waterproofing thus consists in passiu g the fabrics to be treated through a bath of the first solution and then through a bath of the second solution,a convenient speed for the fabric being about five yards per minute. The fabric is then hung up to dry, and when thoroughly dried it is calendered or finished by any of the wellknown methods.

The baths maybe provided with rollers and gear for driving the rollers to feed the cloth.

It has been found that fabric treated according to the method above described is rendered quite waterproof without being airproof. The water-repelling property of the material is not deteriorated by high temperature, such as is experienced in tropical climates, nor does extreme cold affect it, and

the color and condition of the treated fabric 3. The herein-described process of render- 8o ing fabric waterproof which consists in immersing the fabric first in a solution prepared by boiling caustic potash with oleic and steario acids and adding sodium silicate and paraffin-wax thereto and thereafter in a fixative solution of acetate of alumina, the fabric being finally dried and calendered.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES MENZIES. Witnesses:

HAROLD WADE, HARRY S. BRIDGE. 

